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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, September 21, 2009

Travolta could testify at extortion trial


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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

John Travolta

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Beyonce

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John Travolta is among the potential witnesses at a Bahamas trial beginning today for two people accused of trying to extort $25 million from the movie star, according to court officials.

An ambulance driver and a former Bahamas senator allegedly targeted Travolta after his chronically ill son died in the Bahamas. They are accused of demanding money in exchange for not publicizing a document related to 16-year-old Jett Travolta's treatment.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin today and the actor is on a list of people prosecutors could call to testify, Bahamas Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez said.

Former Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, who was among those who tried to revive Jett on Jan. 2, have pleaded innocent to charges including conspiracy to commit extortion.

BEYONCÉ GIVING MALAYSIA 2ND CHANCE

R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles says she will perform in Malaysia in October, two years after canceling a show in this Muslim-majority country after protesters threatened to disrupt the concert because of her sexy image and clothing.

The performer's upcoming show already is drawing the ire of conservatives in this country, where female performers are required to cover up from the shoulders to knees with no cleavage showing.

Knowles said on her Web site that she will take the stage at a stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's biggest city, on Oct. 25. She canceled a planned concert two years ago following protest threats by Malaysia's opposition Islamic party.

COLOMBIAN ROCKS CUBA'S PEACE SHOW

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans flocked to sprawling Revolution Plaza in Havana yesterday for an open-air "peace concert" headlined by Colombian rocker Juanes, an event criticized by some Cuban-Americans who say the performers were lending support to the island's communist government simply by showing up.

Miguel Bose of Spain, who also performed at the concert, announced the crowd size at 1.15 million. It was impossible to independently verify that number, but Juanes' visit to Cuba was clearly the biggest by an outsider since Pope John Paul II's 1998 tour.

Most concertgoers wore white — to symbolize peace — and some held up signs reading "Peace on Earth" and "We Love You Juanes."

'CLOUDY' 3-D COMEDY BRINGS IN KIDS

The forecast was bright at the box office for "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," which earned $30.1 million to lead this weekend's films.

Sony's 3-D animated family comedy was adapted from the popular 1978 children's book by Judi and Ron Barrett. Despite schools being back in session, the film still was able to draw kids and their parents to the multiplexes.

Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant!" came in second with $10.5 million, according to studio estimates yesterday. That was slightly better than expected for the Warner Bros. comedy, which stars Matt Damon as a bipolar whistle-blower.